Fresh Meat: The Killing

AMC continues its onslaught of great television with the premiere of its new drama series, The Killing (Sundays at 10:00). Unlike the prevalent crime procedurals found on CBS, The Killing revolves around the investigation of a single murder (though it is from the creator of Cold Case), with each episode consisting of one day. Similar to other AMC series like The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad, The Killing is filmed with a classic style, helping to set the very realistic tone of a damp and dreary Seattle. Of course adding to the excellent production is the phenomenal acting, led by Mireille Enos (Big Love) as Detective Sarah Linden.


On her last day working the beat in Seattle before moving to California to marry and live with her fiancée, Linden is drawn into the search for a missing teenage girl. Instead of taking it easy and passing the case off, she is compelled to follow through on the investigation as its circumstances progress into even more nefarious territory. Her partner on the case is her intended replacement as homicide detective, former undercover officer Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman). Understandably, Holder's conduct and strategies vastly differ from Linden's due to his extended duty on the streets. Refreshingly, he almost comes off as how a two-bit criminal might serve as a detective, offering up insensitive wisecracks and even smoking weed with high schoolers to gain insight into their own "underground."


In addition to following the investigation surrounding the girl, The Killing also devotes equal time to the struggles of her family as they try to cope with their devastating loss. Michelle Forbes (True Blood) and Brent Sexton (Life) play her middle-class parents with such realism that you can't help but be drawn into their mourning and sorrow. Finally, the story also follows the campaign of a city councilman played by Billy Campbell whose connection to the murder seems to be merely circumstantial, though of course there is always some suspicion necessary when dealing with politics. As the show progresses (the first two episodes aired together April 3rd), the mystery develops further as more details are uncovered, revealing surprising connections and information about this young girl's life.


Bottom Line: The Killing is a well-crafted series that, despite its pacing, should hook you with its realistic depictions and increasingly captivating mystery.